Outpost Oddity: A tale of two ruins.
Ruined Decepticon Outpost One of the many minor Decepticon outposts on Cybertron, this one met with the same fate as many others. After the war with Unicron, it was stripped of weaponry and parts to help rebuild other, more important parts of Cybertron devastated in the war. Piles of metal are scattered about on the ground around the outpost. The massive outer doors are no more, and the upper floors have collapsed. At night, the dim lighting softens the shadows; in the daytime, the shadows are harsher. The highway continues north, and to the south there are large heaps of unidentifiable materials. Contents: Ultra Magnus Blue Sportscar Windshear The Peterbilt 352 Car-Carrier trucks along the Southern Highway, hauling a load of supplies towards the Outpost. In need of minor repair and weapons placement, the City Commander took it upon himself to get out of the office and drop off the newest shipment of supplies. It also allows him to do some field supervision. <> Ultra Magnus warns, dropping off the cargo and slinking into the shadows. "Did you hear back from that tech crew? They were supposed to meet us out here ... strange." Combat: Ultra Magnus takes control of capture point A - Hiding in the Shadows. Clutch follows along convoy-style, and then transforms, optics tracing carefully over the skyline. He's actually here because there's a state of open warfare on Cybertron, and Autobot doctrine states that nobody, even the mighty Ultra Magnus, should be travelling through enemy and marginally-held friendly territories on their own. Only...Clutch isn't sure if Ultra Magnus got the memo. And he's certainly not going to be the one to bring it up. He checks the supples briefly, then trails off away from the base of the outpost. "Nope, haven't heard anything Ultra Magnus. I'm sure the Operations division is stretched pretty thin though. Just like every other division," he adds after a moment. The Global Pose Tracker marks that Clutch has 'skipped' his action for this round. The Decepticons had started this battle for Cybertron with a string of losses. Even Scourge himself, with Shockwave, had failed, at this very spot, to drive the Autobots away. The Sweep Leader decided that, for reasons of his own, and in the name of the Empire, he would take this ruined outpost back. His choice of companions for this mission had been Windshear, as a punishment for the Seeker's failure at New Cybertron Highway . High above the outpost, the Sweep's Unicronian designed sensors pick up something that would bring a smirk to his face, if it was visible....Ultra Magnus. <> Diving suddenly, the Sweep Leader transforms and lands in what appears to be a scrap pile of old weapons. Maybe some of them still functioned for use against the Autobots. Turning as it approaches, the Sweepcraft seems to split in places, the arms and legs of a robot emerging, then the demonic wings unfurl and the menacing visage of Scourge makes it's appearance, completing the transformation from Sweepcraft to robot. Windshear was following the Sweep Commander in silence. Yea it was his punhishement. Seems since he became Grimlock's chewtoy in that lost battle no ones let him live it down. For that matter hes barely been allowed to repair so he looks like scrap but looks can be decieving. He hears Scourge's orders and banks down toward the building, "Yes, sir." he rasps and once again attemtps to take control of this building that he failed at the lst time. Combat: Windshear takes control of capture point C - First Floor. Clutch spots a Decepticon entering the outpost and chases him inside, hoping to drive him out before Windshear can get settled. "Ultra Magnus, looks like we've got still got some unwanted debris to clear out from the previous tenants!" Combat: Clutch challenges Windshear for control of capture point C - First Floor. Combat: Windshear defeats Clutch staring contest! Looking over the 'precious' cargo hauled here, Ultra Magnus goes through the box of supplies all the while checking items off the list. "Check, check, check ... do you hear thrusters?" he idly ponders, glancing towards Clutch. Then it's apparent that they've been attacked, as the Sweep leader dives into the weapons stash. "We've got company!" he hollers out, standing to his full heigth and glaring out across the battlefield. Combat: Ultra Magnus remains in control of capture point A - Hiding in the Shadows. Scourge takes a moment to survey the area, taking note of only Ultra Magnus and Clutch. After a brief inspection of the scene laid out before his crimson optics, the Sweep Leader looks at the pile of weapons and crouches, sifting through them to look for usable weapons, or parts that he can put together. Sneering, he glances up at the Autobot City Commander and calls across the outpost, "Ultra Magnus, you are a fool to bring only one escort! You and I have unfinished business!" Combat: Scourge remains in control of capture point E - Weapon Scrap Pile. Windshear sees an Autobot rush in at him and resists the bots attempts to remove him from the building. "Going to have to try harder than that, Autobot." he rasps as he remains in the building. Combat: Windshear remains in control of capture point C - First Floor. Clutch can't seem to get Windshear to leave through a staredown. "Looks like we've got to do this the old fashioned way. Namely swift, brutal and excessive force!" He draws out a short, slightly curved blade with fancy knobs and controls on the hilt. He thumbs a control, igniting mechanisms which hum into life. A tiny arc of electricity snakes up the blade before sizzling off the tip. Nodding in satisfaction, Clutch then proceeds to slash at Windshear's chest! Combat: Clutch sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Clutch strikes Windshear with his Steampunk Sabre attack! "You'd better have more on the way Scourge, it'll take a lot more than one masochistic Seeker and yourself to enact vengeance!" Ultra Magnus shouts out, readying his Laser Blaster Rifle for a ranged shot. Combat: Ultra Magnus remains in control of capture point A - Hiding in the Shadows. Ahh, there are usable parts here! Scourge quickly assembles the most usable ones into a makeshift laser rifle, good for at least one or two shots, and smirks. Taking note of Clutch attacking Windshear, he pulls the jury-rigged rifle up and takes aim at the Autobot. Best to help his partner out this time around. If they can run one off, they can both focus their energies on destroying Ultra Magnus, and secure this area for the Empire. Without warning, or a reply to Ultra Magnus' taunt, he takes aim and fires on the smaller of the two Autobots. Combat: Scourge sets his defense level to Aggressive. Combat: Scourge strikes Clutch with Ruined Decepticon Outpost's Hastily Reassembled Weapon attack! Combat: Scourge's attack has strange and mysterious effects on Clutch. Combat: Clutch has been temporarily incapacitated. Combat: Used up 1 Attacks. 2 remain. Scourge says, "Windshear, keep that outpost secure! Clutch has been neutralized for the moment." Windshear takes the sabre hit to this chest and his canopy glass cracks in a couple of spots. Slag and that ws new too. Oh well. He hears the comment about masochistic and ponders that for a moment then shrugs it off. "Im not goig anywhere, Autobot, you will have to do better than that." Then he sees Scourge's attack on Clutch and smirks. Combat: Windshear sets his defense level to Protected. Combat: Windshear remains in control of capture point C - First Floor. Windshear says, "That certainly helps." Ultra Magnus charges up the Rifle, aiming the crosshairs at the Weapons cache. Before he realizes it though, the Sweep Leader has taken towards Clutch and stunned him! "Clutch, are you alright?" Combat: Ultra Magnus remains in control of capture point A - Hiding in the Shadows. Clutch gets nailed in the back by the shot. For a second he seems to flinch, and then smirks slightly. "Hardly even feellllttttt-*" Clutch's optics, along with other lights dim, and he freezes. It takes a few seconds for his systems to reboot. Combat: Clutch takes a moment to shake off the effects of the last attack. Darkwing says, "So does this mean Windsheer is actully being useful in a battle for once?" Sneering at the stunned Clutch, Scourge again turns his attention back to Ultra Magnus. "You will not survive this encounter! I will see to that /personally/." Combat: Scourge remains in control of capture point E - Weapon Scrap Pile. Windshear says, "Hey... I am useful in battle more then just 'for once'..." Windshear says, "Ive just been off my game recently.. happens to everyone.. Ive heard on recent chan chatter that even the best in the empire can be off their game..." Darkwing says, "You seem to have been off your game since the that annoying alien Collector ordeal" Windshear cant help but snicker at how funny Clutch is when Scourge's attack stuns him. But he refuses to move from his spot. Sometimes just shooting and asking quetions later is not the way to go. Combat: Windshear remains in control of capture point C - First Floor. Windshear thinks for a moment, "Perhaps you have a point but I cant imagine what that alien would have to do with it. I was not part of that mission. Ultra Magnus levels the blaster and fires off a wild shot, not intended to strike at Scourge ... but create a bit of confusion before striking at the Sweep leader. "You'll regret coming here Decepticon, I'll make sure of that!" Combat: Ultra Magnus challenges Scourge for control of capture point E - Weapon Scrap Pile. Combat: Ultra Magnus defeats Scourge in a battle of WILLS! Combat: Ultra Magnus takes control of capture point E - Weapon Scrap Pile. Clutch shakes his head as the last lingering effects of Scourge's attack wear off. His sword flickers back into life, but Clutch puts it away. Instead he leaps up and hooks his hands over the edge of a hole in the roof. Bracing himself like a gymnast, he swings his legs and hips over the hole, and then ends up kneeling on the floor above. "Plenty of room for both of us in here, Decepticon!" Combat: Clutch takes control of capture point D - Second Floor. Leaping out of the way of the incoming fire, since it /seemed/ to be aimed at him, Scourge essentially hands over his position among the rusted, mostly non-functional weapons. But he's far from finished. Smirking, he rushes at the Autobot City Commander with a flurry of clawed vengeance, in an attempt to dislodge him from the weapons pile. "I regret only not being able to finish you off the last time we met!" Combat: Scourge challenges Ultra Magnus for control of capture point E - Weapon Scrap Pile. Combat: Ultra Magnus defeats Scourge in a battle of WILLS! Windshear has had enough of the first floor and decides to take it up a level, literally. He transforms and blasts for the second floor. Pretty boy Windshear transforms into a Cybertronian pyramid/Tetrajet. Combat: Windshear challenges Clutch for control of capture point D - Second Floor. Combat: Windshear defeats Clutch in a duel of NINJA BACKFLIPS! Combat: Windshear takes control of capture point D - Second Floor. Ultra Magnus charges into the weapons cache fully expecting a melee brawl, only to find that he spooked the Decepticon with the stray shot. "Little jumpy today, are we?" he casually jests as he scans the scrap pile for the weapon Scourge fired off earlier. Finally finding it, he makes a hap-hazardly shot off at the Seeker pretty boy. Combat: Ultra Magnus sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Ultra Magnus misses Windshear with Ruined Decepticon Outpost's Hastily Reassembled Weapon attack! Clutch dives to the side as Windshear's flying form suddenly zooms into his space. Clutch's evasive move takes him right over the edge of the building and he falls to the ground below. CLANG! Oh well, it's hard to hold an entire floor against a jet anyway. Rolling partially to his feet, Clutch ends on up his knee with a large, heavy-duty rifle raised to one shoulder. This spews out a stream of tiny rocket-propelled projectiles that streak into the outpost, probably ruining whatever structural integrity it still had. Combat: Clutch strikes Windshear with his Micro Missiles attack! Growling at Ultra Magnus, Scourge again attempts to rush back into the weapon pile to get that weapon out of the Autobot's hands, and back where it belongs! "If you think you can best me again, Autobot, you have had a serious error in judgement!" Combat: Scourge challenges Ultra Magnus for control of capture point E - Weapon Scrap Pile. Combat: Scourge defeats Ultra Magnus in a battle of WILLS! Combat: Scourge takes control of capture point E - Weapon Scrap Pile. Windshear gets peppered with lots of little missiles and he crashes onto the floor without his landing gear dropped. Smoking and trembling though, the jet does not mo ve from where hes at. "Ok..." he rasps, "So you have a bit better I .. see... still not impressed..." Combat: Windshear remains in control of capture point D - Second Floor. Ultra Magnus's control of the weapon is taken, and he's pushed out of the weapon's pile swiftly. Rolling to his side, the City Commander transforms into a slightly less bulky form and aims a laser shot at the Seeker. "Best you? I won't have to best you in anything, I'll just have to outlast you!" The extra kibble dissapears, reavealing Ultra Magnus' real robot mode AKA White Optimus Prime Doppelganger mode! Combat: Ultra Magnus misses Windshear with his 'Kick em when they're down' Laser! (Disruptor) attack! Clutch finally releases the trigger and lets up on the stream of micro-rockets, his weapon smoking and the barrel scorched from the exhaust of his many shots. He looks satisfied for a moment, but the expression turns to one of stunned disbelief when Windshear starts talking again. "What does it take to put this guy down?" Clutch says aloud. "He's totally exposed up there...uh...hey, where'd he go?!" Transforming into his car mode, Clutch flips open his trunk, revealing a small turret. This swivels and then unleashes a long stream of greenish pellets that arc over the edge of the outpost as he fires blindly at where he thinks Windshear might be... Clutch transforms into sportscar mode! Combat: Blue Sportscar misses Windshear with his Acid Pellets attack! Sneering at Ultra Magnus as he wrests the weapon from the larger Autobot's hands, Scourge immediately turns it on the City Commander as he turns to fire on Windshear. "You are truly a fool, to turn your back on /me/!" Though he doesn't fire the weapon yet, he crouches into a more defensive position and prepares for the Autobot to come back for more melee! Combat: Scourge sets his defense level to Guarded. Combat: Scourge remains in control of capture point E - Weapon Scrap Pile. Windshear watches two attacks on him fly right by and remains where he is. Hes not going anywhere right now as his systems work double time to stabilize from that massive missile attack he just took. But he keeps his weapons online and ready to defend the building at the first bot that gets close to him. Combat: Windshear remains in control of capture point D - Second Floor. Ultra Magnus turns around, regarding the Sweep once more. "A fool? Hardly." he grits out, dashing in his albino glory towards the weapons cache once again. It's like a game of king of the hill, except it's control over a gun ... and they're giant robots. Combat: Ultra Magnus sets his defense level to Protected. Combat: Ultra Magnus challenges Scourge for control of capture point E - Weapon Scrap Pile. Combat: Scourge defeats Ultra Magnus in a battle of WILLS! Scourge says, "Stand your ground, Windshear. These fools will /not/ drive us away this time!" Windshear says, "Its not like Im going anywhere.. I didnt think that bot had that many missiles loaded into his weapon and they like ALL HIT ME..."" Blue Sportscar drives straight into the building, still in car form. From the ground floor comes the sounds of transforming though, and it's a robot that rises into view on the top. He looks around to orient himself, then rushes forward and tries to shoulder-check Windshear's jet form right off of the 2nd floor. Clutch transforms into robot mode! Combat: Clutch challenges Windshear for control of capture point D - Second Floor. Combat: Windshear defeats Clutch in a duel of NINJA BACKFLIPS! When Ultra Magnus comes back for more, Scourge sneers when he tries to grab the gun again, and, instead of doing anything really fancy, or damaging, he simply rolls backwards, planting his feet into the large Autobot to send him flying over the top of the weapons pile. "Truly pathetic! I expected more, Ultra Magnus!" Combat: Scourge remains in control of capture point E - Weapon Scrap Pile. Scourge says, "You should be numb to the pain by now after your recent string of failures, Windshear. Now drive these pathetic fools off of /our/ territory!" Space Attack XO Blueshift says, "Windshear, should you die, I will promise you a /sweet/ statue in your honour" Space Attack XO Blueshift whispers loudly "does anyone know where that Thundercracker statue went?" Darkwing says, "I don't see why you try Windsheer; you know better then most that its futile anyway." Scourge says, "Nothing is 'futile', Darkwing! Keep your depression to yourself!" Windshear sees Clutch coming and revs his engines threateningly as well as move his laser cannons toward the Autobot, then the bot tries to sholder shove him off the floor. Yea that worked. Hes a huge jet right now. Windy laughs in spite of himself, "Hey that ws funny, Autodumbaft." and he stays right where he is. Combat: Windshear remains in control of capture point D - Second Floor. Clutch rushes right by Windshear and almost goes flying off the edge of the outpost (again). But he spies a pole driven into the edge of the outpost's external structure. On the pole flutters a flag with an Autobot symbol printed on it, and the sight of it gives Clutch newfound strength! He grabs the pole with one hands and then uses it to swing himself around and back to the second floor again. And in his other hand is a heavy duty laser pistol. "Sticks and stones, Decepticon!" Combat: Clutch strikes Windshear with his Laser attack! Combat: Windshear falls to the ground, unconscious. Clutch blows smoke off the barrel of his pistol. "Next?" Windshear says. I want a glorious statue in my honor, Blue and yes, Darkwing, I know. But everyone has their roles in this that must be played out regardless of how we feel and what we know otherwise -- oh haha the bot just tried to shove me off.. that was funny... Im not going anywhere, Scourge. We will --" there is the sound of laserfire and then windy continues, "I.. am in...." the line goes dead.. Ultra Magnus redoubles his efforts, craning his neck to the side to hastily evaluate Clutch's performance. "Poor form Clutch, you better get on the ball before the game is over!" the City Commander waxes Eject for a moment, before his attention is pulled back towards Scourge and the weapons cache. "Oh, perhaps my evaluation was a bit ... premature?" Combat: Ultra Magnus challenges Scourge for control of capture point E - Weapon Scrap Pile. Combat: Scourge defeats Ultra Magnus in a battle of WILLS! Space Attack XO Blueshift says, "Lord Scourge, Windshear's dead body would be excellent use as a melee weapon" Darkwing says, "No it won't. It would just crumble on impact, knowing how well Windy takes a hit." Hinder says, "What? What's happened? Is Windshear okay? Where is he?" Scourge sneers at Ultra Magnus as he again rushes in to try to oust him. Standing his ground, the Sweep Leader actually seems to manage to shove Ultra Magnus away, yet again! Raising his makeshift rifle at the Autobot, his crimson optics flash and his gravelly voice again sounds in the middle of the fight. "Flee, Autobots, and I will terminate you on some /other/ field of battle!" Combat: Scourge remains in control of capture point E - Weapon Scrap Pile. Windshear is a smoldering, leaking, sparking pile of mangled Tetrajet right now... and nothing more.. Darkwing says, "Windy's dead from the sounds of it." Space Attack XO Blueshift says, "It's okay Hinder, we got him a statue" Space Attack XO Blueshift says, "Now, help me chisel off 'Thundercracker' from the plaque" Scourge says, "Windshear is unconscious. I will bring him in for repairs after I have finished securing the area." Windshear is laying there in an expanding pile of energon and hydrofluid... this is bad. Clutch doesn't exactly run...but he does hop off of the outpost (leaving Windshear's smoldering wreckage behind) and cast another worried look at the skies. "Ultra Magnus, we're pretty exposed out here. Where there's one Sweep, there's usually more. And we never did find our missing techs. We'd better round 'em up and herd em back into friendlier territory!" Clutch transforms into sportscar mode! Ultra Magnus is denied access to the 'hill' and sent reeling ... off of the highway. Tumbling through the air helplessly, the only thing that seethes today's loss is the thought of pain to be inflicted upon Scourge the next time they cross eachother's paths. Clutch moves north to the Southern Highway. Clutch has left. Scourge watches the Autobots turn and start 'running', and sneers after them. Climbing out of the weapons pile, the Sweep transforms and takes to the skies, to utilize his advanced sensors to their fullest, making certain that no other Autobots are lurking about. After a few moments, he satisfies himself and swoops back down to pick up Windshear with his laser lasso, to carry the badly damaged Seeker back to base for repairs. Space Attack XO Blueshift says, "Lord Scourge, I am thankful that Windshear's dead, prone body was useful in your war efforts" Darkwing says, "So in Death he finally redeemed himself. Fitting."